About 1,800 nursing-home residents die every year from injuries related to falls, such as traumatic brain injury and broken bones. Those who survive are often left with permanent disabilities that further reduce their quality of life. For example, someone who falls and breaks her hip might end up unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, leading to depression, social isolation and death.
Even A Single Fall is a Sign of Nursing Home Abuse
Falls occur at least twice as often in nursing homes than among elderly people living in the community. Nursing homes with 100 beds typically report 100 to 200 falls a year, but many more falls go unreported. As many as half of the nation’s 1.5 million nursing-home residents fall at least once every year – and many fall more than once. The average number of falls per resident is 2.6.
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Nursing Home Injuries Caused by Falls
While nursing-home residents generally are frailer than elderly people living at home, conditions at the facilities also contribute to the problem. Medication that affects coordination and causes confusion, such as anti-psychotics that nursing homes prescribe to make residents more compliant, is a big culprit. More than one in five nursing-home patients receive anti-psychotics — although the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 expressly forbids the use of “chemical restraints.”
Falls in Nursing Homes FAQs
- Why do nursing home residents suffer falls?
- How Serious can fractures Due to Falls in Nursing Homes be?
- What should the nursing home be doing to prevent frequent falls?
- What types of assessments should be made to determine whether a nursing home resident is at risk for falls?
- How serious are head injuries caused by falls in a nursing home?
Falls Are A Symptom Of Poor Staffing. Being understaffed is No Excuse For Poor Care
Nursing homes have a legal responsibility to keep your loved one safe from abuse and neglect. That includes taking as many precautionary measures as possible to prevent falls, especially when the patient is clearly at high risk of falling. If your loved one is the victim of a fall caused by negligence, the nursing home should be held be accountable for your family’s pain and suffering.
Contact us at (847) 869-9100 to make arrangements to discuss your case with our attorney today.